Jason Handler

In early 2013, I was diagnosed with non-hodgkins lymphoma after I went to the hospital complaining that I was having difficulty breathing. After some scans and a biopsy, it was confirmed that the mass in my chest was indeed lymphoma. Over the next six months I completed eight rounds of R-EPOCH and was finally declared to be in remission.

In November 2013, I had my three month scan to check to make sure there was no activity where my mass was. However, this was not the case and it was clear that I needed more treatment. Because my cancer had come back in what is called a “reoccurrence,” the scheduled treatment was more intense.

This time around, I had three rounds of RICE followed by three weeks of radiation therapy. To finish my treatment I did a week of high dose chemotherapy, immediately followed by an autologous stem cell transplant that in all required me to remain hospitalized for 20 days.

I am once again in remission and am hopeful that it will stay that way. The people closest to me, my friends and family, helped me the most during my treatments.